Hand Pain: When It’s Time To See a Doctor
The human hand is made up of complex anatomical structures which include bones, muscles, tendons, ligaments, and nerves. Unfortunately, because the hand is generally one of the most used body parts, it is also susceptible to painful conditions. Typing, texting, brushing your teeth, and preparing food are daily activities we often don’t think much about. However, when pain occurs, these once simple tasks can quickly feel impossible.
Hand pain can present for a variety of reasons that range from repetitive motion to severe injury. When you’re suffering from persistent or debilitating hand pain, it’s always best to obtain a professional evaluation in order to receive effective medical treatment.
We’ve put together a simple guide to determine when you should make an appointment with a specialist to relieve your hand pain.
Persistent Pain
Hand pain isn’t always chronic. Pain from a sprain or tendonitis may resolve on its own after several weeks, while thumb arthritis pain can come and go intermittently. In cases where you’ve injured your hand, you might experience acute pain that gradually fades over a few days or weeks as it heals.
If you’re experiencing pain that lasts more than 4-6 weeks, it’s important that a physician investigate the symptoms to find the source. A thorough physical examination can help uncover the cause of your persistent hand pain and be the first step to obtaining relief.
Pain Is Impacting Your Quality of Life
There typically is no cause for concern if you have mild hand pain that isn’t disrupting you on a daily basis. However, even moderate hand pain can impact your quality of life, and severe hand pain can be debilitating. From difficulty performing everyday tasks to stiffness that inhibits productivity, chronic hand pain can make life miserable.
If hand pain is preventing you from doing the things you enjoy, such as gardening, cooking, or writing, or affecting your livelihood, it’s time to see a hand specialist.
Conservative Therapy Hasn’t Worked
It’s generally best to start with conservative therapy when you experience hand pain from conditions like arthritis, carpal tunnel, cubital tunnel and tendonitis. Conservative therapies include things like limiting the use of your hand for a period, using a splint or a brace, ice or heat, over-the-counter pain relievers, and occupational or physical therapy. While for some patients conservative therapy may be enough to ease hand pain, others may continue to struggle.
Our surgeons have extensive experience treating hand pain that hasn’t responded to conservative therapy or will help guide you through the proper non-surgical treatments. If conservative options have failed to resolve your pain, then give our team a call. We are eager to help you find a path to relief.
You Have Coexisting Conditions
Many patients with hand pain also have other overlapping medical conditions. Common medications to treat pain and inflammation can interfere with the ongoing treatment of your other conditions. If you have a coexisting condition, it’s important to see a doctor who can design a custom treatment plan. For example, there are certain anti-inflammatory medications that can make acid reflux worse. Our doctors understand medication interactions and will ensure that they are treating your pain in the best way for your unique needs.
Schedule A Consultation For Hand Pain
If you have hand pain, our expert physicians will work with you to find the best solution for relief. Our doctors are dedicated to improving the quality of our patients’ lives, one hand at a time. Please contact us today to schedule a consultation.
